Method of and apparatus for compressing and truing fiber tubes



March 15, 1932.

H. PARKER METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSING AND TRUING FIBER TUBES Filed March 15, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet Jkaw ll lllflllllllllllh H. PARKER I March 15, 1 932.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSING AND TRUING FIBER TUBES Filed March '15, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 H. PARKER March 15, 1932.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSING AND TRUING FIBE IR TUBES 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 13, 1929 ZZZ/MM if? 55 & 559E EEEEEEEE E I 4 Sheets-Sheet H. PAIRKERN Filed March 13, 1929 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSING AND TRUING FIBER TUBES March 15, 1932 v In spite of the most careful treatment, how-- Patented Mar. 15, 1932 r z'owann PARKER, or BERLIN, new n rsHmnnssIG-noaro naown coivr rnixrsr; on

BERLIN, NEW HAMPSHIRE,

A coaronerronor MAINE METHOD or AND APPARATUS ,r onceivrrnnssms AND Taurus FIBER TUBES 7 hpplication fi'led March 13, 1929. Serial No. 346,597.

This invention relates to amethod 'ofjand apparatus for compressingand truing the walls of fiber tubes so as to impart tothe tubes superior charac'teristicsi'of density,

i 5 strength and accurac'yof dimensions. An ob-" v ject of the invention is to operate on tubes of fibrous material in such a way as to increase materially their mechanical strength and to ensure uniform accuracy of internal: and ex- 1 ternal" diameters throughout the extent of each se'ction'of tubing. {One typeof tubing to'which the invention is applicable may be made by winding under pressure on. a suitable mandrel a web of wet cellulosi'cpulp'unti'l the desired wall thickness is obtained, removing the mandrel, andcarefully drying the tube. The pressure onthe web of pulp as it is rolled up on the mandrel tends to cause an interfelting between the fibers" of successive convolutions so that no laminated structure can be detected in the resulting tube wall after it has been dried, the fibers being 'sub stantially uniformly interfelted in all directions throughout the tube. The making of- 2 such tubes is attended with certain difficulties which frequently j cause imperfect tubes.

i This is particularlytrue of the dryingstep during which tubes are subject to blistering,

Warping, and irregular shrinkage unless ever, a certain percentage of defective tubes are liable to be produced. Inpmost cases, defective tubes must be partly orwholly discarded. By my invention, fiber tubes are mounted on a mandrel having a diameter equal to the correct interior diameter 'of the tube,v then thetube walls are subjected to high radial pressure, tliis treatment extending from one end of the'tube to the other. As a result, the tube wallsare compacted to a uni form thickness, small irregularities being pressed out. Thetube is also axially straightened by this treatment, if previously warped out of line, and is made accurately circular 1n'cross section. a result of th1s treatment, not onlyis' a superior product produced, but alarge part of what would previously have been wasted 1s salvaged and made into a "salable product of'excellent quality.

greatcare be taken to avoid these difliculties.

I Accordingto the invention, acircular series of fingers are provided which are powerfully pressed inwardly againstthelouter surface of a tube which is mounted on a mandrel. The inward motion of the fingers 1s llmitedt'o "a distance from the axis equal to the-correct external diameter of thetube which is being compressed; The fingersengage the tube over an axial lengthfof-a few inches, being a fed along so tha't e'ach successive pinch'isa .shortdistancefurtheralong'the'tube- 'lhus v theentire-tubemaybe compressed fromf end to end-.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of m echa nism V embodying the invention.

fFigureQ is a plan view of the same;

' 1 Figure 3 is an end elevation of the same;

F orfurther advantageous features of construct on and operation, reference may be;

=Figurc 4*is a section ofthe'presser head mechanism taken on the line 1' and of Figure 5.

'of Figure 4;. p

' Figure 5 is athe presser head." U y a r V Figure 7 is a-"sectionon the line '77 "of onthe line of andB, 1 Figure llis a fragmentary elevation offlthe feed screwfor the presser'head. th

Figure 12 is asection on of Figure 10.

Figure 13 shows in elevation anintermedi ate support for the feed screw.

Figure 14 is a d'ag'rammatic plan of the gearing connecting the driving shaft with :the feed screw and theimandrel support;

Figures 1,2 and'3 illustrate-an apparatus for trui-ng and compressing fibrous tubes of Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 5+5 f fragmentary end elevation so' Figure 1, the-parts being shown ona large 'f I "line; 12 12 considerable length. According to present practice eight feet is a standard length for such tubes but the apparatus illustrated may be made to handle tubes of greater length if desired. As shown, the apparatus comprises an elongated bed 20 upon which is adiustably mounted a headstock 21 and a tailstock 22 to support a mandrel 23 on which is mounted a fiber tube 24 for pressing and truing. The headstock 21 is provided with a live spindle 25 which is rotated by mechanism hereinafter described. The tailstock 22 is provided with a dead spindle 26, the spindles 25 and 26 being movable axially, as by suitable hand wheels 27, 28, to engage and support the ends of the mandrel 23. f Slidably mounted on-the bed 20 between the headstock and the tailstock is a presser head 29 which is in the general form of a ring which is coaxial with the mandrel 23 when the latter is mounted between the spindles 25, 26. The presser head 29 contains mechanism for successively squeezing or pinching the outer surface of the tube 24, as is hereinafter described, this mechanism operating ona circumferential area of comparatively short length of the tube 24.

When treating the entire tube, the presser.

head with its pressing mechanism is fed from one end of the tube to the other,vwhile the presser mechanism therein rapidly pinches and releases the surface of the tube. In this way, the entire tube is compacted and smoothed. his treatment also removes irregularities not only of diameter but also axial warping so that the finished product is straight and true in all respects. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, 1 provide connected mechanism for simultaneously feeding the presser head 29 along the bed and rotating the spindie 25, this mechanism being driven by anysuitable source of power such as an electric motor 30. The presser mechanism carried by the presser head may conveniently be driven by another motor 31 which, as shown, is mounted on the presser head 29 and travels therewith.

The mechanism for rotating the mandrel and feeding the presser head is illustrated in Figures 9 to 12 and includes a reversing clutch which is manually operable from either end of the bed 20 as by hand levers 32 which are mounted on cross shafts 33. On each of the cross shafts 33 is a lever 34 entering respective recesses insuitable blocks 35, 36, these blocks being both mounted on a common rod 37 so that-manipulation of either lever 32 will operate the clutch.

The motor 30, as shown in Figure 3,'may be connected asby a belt 38 to a pulley 39. This pulley is mounted on a shaft 40 which carries an elongated pinion 41. The pinion 41 meshes with a loosely mounted clutch gear 42 and also with a second gear 43 which is mounted on a shaft 44. Likewise mounted on the shaft 44 is a gear 45 which is similar to the gear 43 and which meshes with a loosely mounted clutch gear 46 similar to the gear 42. From the diagram in Figure 14, it may be seen that if the pinion 41 is rotated in a clock ise direction then the gears 42 and 43, which. mesh therewith, will rotate in a counterclockwise direction will also the gear 45. Since the latter meshes with the gear 46, the gear 46 will rotate in a clockwise direction. Hence the clutch gears 42, 46, both of which are loosely mounted, are continually driven in opposite directions and are selectively engageable by a clutch member 47 which is splined on a shaft 48. The clutch member 47 may be moved axially on the shaft 48'as by a fork 49- which is fixed to the rod 37. As snown in Figure 10, a feed screw50 may be coupled to the shaft 48 to be driven thereby, tiis feed screw extending substantially the entire length of the apparatus and being engaged by a threaded portion of the presser head 29.. Fixed to the shaft 48 is a pinion 51: which meshes with a gear 52, thelatter being mounted on a shaft 53, 'Also mounted on the shaft 53 is a pinion 54 which meshes with a gear 55. The gear 55 is fixed to the live spindle 25 so that whenever the feedscrew 50 is rotated to move the presser head, the spindle 25 will be also rotated at a relatively slow speed. As is hereinafter described, tnepresser elements carried by the presser head 29 are adapted to pinch a portionof the exterior surface of the tube 24, these pinches being in rapid succession and of short duration. It is desirable that the rotation of the tube 24 be capable of momentary interruption during each brief pinch. To this end the clutch gears 42 and 46 may be constructed as indicated in Figure 12. As therein shown, each of these gears may-comprise an internal spider consisting of a hub member 56 loosely mounted on the shaft 48, a lining of friction. metal 57 being inserted between the hub members and shaft if desired. Extending radially outward from the hub member 56 are a number of lugs 58. Surrounding the spider is a ring gear 59 having inwardly extending lugs 60. As shown. in Figure 12, the outwardly extending lugs 58 and the inwardly extending lugs 60 may be uniformly spaced as by blocks 61 of rubber or by other suitable resilient members. As shown in Figure 10, the hub member 56 of each gear is provided with a flange 62 between which and a ring 63 the rubber blocks 61 and the ring gear 59 are held in place. The face of the flange 62 is provided with suitable lugs to interlock with the clutch member 47. Thus when the shaft- 48 is being driven through one of the clutch gears 42 or 46, the driving force taken by the ring gear 59 and transmitted through the rubber blocks 61 to the spider 56 which is interlocked with the clutch member 47.

iriehzinism, the 'bbchsm hre permitted to expand "to their regular-shape 931161 in dbing s0 'jh'lhp the clutch inenihei 1&7 *a'hezd tb make up for the stepp'a-ge. Y

The Presser head 29 comprises at casing-1'62 which may have a ring-shaped "recess t0 fe- Vceive a ring gear 163. pres ehmeqhm 1118111 includes a en-culhr serle's jo'f phs'se finhaving a diameter e ual 'hhfhha' h-deired; for the exterior of thetube 24. Theele'r'x'ient '67 -may'be relhhshbly htthchedththe 'elrhehfshh as by screws 69 which peimit ehsy fem'fjvxl of the elements 67 so that hhey may BQZLTiQlKlY replhced by diffefeht'elemnt 'ih case it i desired'to operfit'e tubes) of =1 'hger'or sl'hvlle'r (hamster. The ple's'ser-feleniefits 67 which 'pli'shed bye series of felle'lis 70 which ihey ride within a ring T1-inoiintedwithihfhe 'iihg buter "ends the fl'les'efeixds hei'fig sldped, as shown "m Figure 4, to high 1301*:

7 thin i the center so that afs'fll'e iro' llefs 70 "'rlde onthe'outer end ficfes Offihe 64, the latter are necessarily greed ra'Ctlflljly in ter of the rollers 70; There are 'areferably that as the rollers move frQin we 10w "ph'hh on the uter end feces of thefinge'rs hs 'sh Wn keep the rollers The hehrhhhhg.

e yh h earings, 78' between thh'hlh h s eshnh '66. In aha-er o keep the fi ge i-s r-hp 3 homing fa's of the r ngs 79, so, ma hl s 80; theseiings being secured is by Bolts 81 he angle-rings 82 which tuinfzife bolted to h the "z'asirig 162.; Thefeohfrbnting hd' hd ges 6f the ring-s 79; so ma he sl'dttd as h 83, "do ifeceive portions of thefeleihiit sf65g whereby the fingers 64m revented ff in thhhehhg "efdlihd the ak iswith thefl'lefsmz Thdo'h:

be prb'vided with reassess t6 Teceive phin'g 1 The feed's'i'ew 50' be ffsuch vid ed. 7 TO this end, a 'suiizzihl tfoifgh '89 hh provided to fit h'ghihs the-"lbwr'sid (if the sho n ihF-ighrhls. I This tiough may he sh p;-

p ohthd h h hh of-phrhu l hhhh '90, 91, whih hehdhs 'i't trhv'e 's past; Ah oon hs the washer head has passed in either direction, the weight 193 restores the trough 89 to its supporting position.

. V It is also desirable to support the mandrel .28 near its mid point to prevent sagging thereplaced by other supports of different heights 1 to accommodate tubes of dlfi'erent diameters.

Thebases 95 slide on the bed 20. As the press er head 29 moves along the bed it comes upagainst the slide 95 ahead of it and pushes it to the end of its travel, leaving the slide behind it in the middle portion of the bed 20. When the travel of the presser head is re Versed,it drags along behind it the slide it has just pushed until it reaches the middle portion of thebed 20, whereupon it drops this slide and pushes the other slide ahead of it to the limit of its travel in that direction, this action being successively repeated with. each trip of thepresser head from one end of the bed to the other. 7 In order to drag'back the slides 95 tothe middle portion of the bed, the presser head 29 may be'provided with a finger 97 projecting outwardly from each face thereof. Each finger is provided with a beveled end 98 and a notch 99 to-cooperate 5 with a plunger 100 carried by the 'slide 95 and pressed downwardlyby a suitable spring 101. As the presser head travels along the bed 20 upon reaching the slide in front of it, the plunger 1OO rides up on the beveled face 98 and trips into the notch 99, the support *ith its slide 95 being thereafter pushed ahead until the presser head reaches theend ofitstravel. l 't henthepressnreheadisstarted on its travelin the reverse direction,the engagement ofthe plunger 100 in the slot 99 causes the slide 95 to be pulled after the head 29. The lower edge of the plunger 100 rides on a rail 102 which extends parallel to the feed screw 50 andis provided with a raised portion103 at the middle of the bed 20. When the plunger 99 reaches the raised portion 103 of the bar 102 it rides upwardly on. the sloping face, releasing the lowerend from the notch 99 and permitting the presser head to continue its travel without pulling the support along any further. Thus the supportis left in the approximate middle of the bed 20 to hold the mandrel'23 and-the tube 24 and to prevent sagging of the same. Meanwhile the presser head has come upagainst the other slide 95. -This is pushedto the end of the travel of the presser head and is there after brought back to the middle of the bed as hereinbefore described. In order toprevent over-travel 0f the presser headin either d1- rection, .I may provide a pair of stops 104 mounted on the rod 37 These stops are located in the path of a portion of the presser opposite direction.

The mandrel 23 which supports the tube to be pressed must be of suflicient strength to withstand the heavy pressures which may be exerted thereon by the fingers 6-1 through the wall of the tube. It is also desirable, and in many cases necessary, that the mandrel be collapsible to permit its ready removal from a tube which has been treated, also'to permit its insertion into a tube having an interior diameter just equal to or slightly less than standard. For this purpose the mandrel 23 may comprise a central wedge-shaped mem ber adapted to slide between two members which are tapered in the opposite direction so that the three members, when their ends are flush, have together a circular cross-section at any point along the mandrel, as indicated in Figures 4 and 7. The central member may be slidably dovetailed to the other two members as shown.

I claim:

1. The method of truing the walls of a tube 'which comprises rigidly supporting the intericr surface thereof and successively pressing on short overlapping circumferential areas of the outer surface of the tube while theinner surface is so supported.

2. The method of treating a tube, which comprises rigidly supporting the interior surface thereof, applying radial pressure on the outer surface of the tube by a series of brief pinches over a relatively shortlength of tube surface, the pressed area advancing progressively between pinches from one end of the tube to the other.

3.' The method of truing the diameters of fiber tubes, which comprises rigidly supporting the inner surface of a substantially dry fiber tube at the desired internal'diameter, and pressing successive overlapping circumferential areas of the outer surface inwardly to the desired external diameter.

4. Apparatus for treating a fiber tube, comprising a mandrel having a diameter equal to the desired inner diameter for the tube, means for successively pressing short circumferential areas of the outer surface of the tube to desired outer diameter, and means for relatively moving the work and said pressing means axially thereof between successive pressings a distance less than the axial length of a pressed area. a

5. Apparatus for treating a fiber tube, comprisinga mandrel, means for supporting said mandrel at its ends, a presser head, a circular series of presser fingers carried by said head about said mandrel, means carried bysaid 1 sad forsimultaneously moving said fingers inwardly and outwardly, said fingers having faces forming together a substantially cylin over said bed, means for rotating said mandrel, a feed screw supported by said bed parallel to said mandrel,'a presser head slidable on said bed and operatively connected to said feed screw, means for rotating said feed screw selectively in either direction, means for automatically stopping the rotation of said screw when the presser head reaches its limit of travel on said bed in either direction, a circular series of fingers carried by said presser head and movable radially inward to a predetermined distance from the axis of said mandrel, and meanscarried by said head for termined distance from the axis of said tube, 1

and a presser head carrying said fingers, meanshaving a resilient connecting member for rotating said tube on its axis, means for feeding and pressing said head alongsaid tube, and means yieldingly supporting said fingers in said head for limitedmotion relative thereto longitudinally of thetube, whereby said fingers may grip a rotating tubefor brief periods without interruption of the 'roiation'of the tube or ofthe feed of the presser I ead. Z

In'testimony. whereof I have affixed my f signature. HOWARD PARKER. I

reciprocating said fingers to and from their inmost position.

7. Apparatus for treating a fiber tube, comprisinga mandrel capable of being inserted in a tube, means for supporting said mandrel at its ends, a presser head around said mandrel, means for movingsaid presser head along said mandrel in an axial direction, and

means carried by said head for pressing a short circumferential area of a tube on said mandrel to a predetermined diameter.

8. Apparatus for truing'a fiber tube, comprisinga mandrel tobe insertedwithin said tube, means for rotatably supporting, said mandrel by its ends, means for rotating said mandrel while thus supported, a presser head around said mandrel and slidable longitudinally thereof, means for feedingsaid presser head along said mandrel, and means carried by said presser head for shaping a tube on said mandrel, said shaping means including a circular series of fingers mounted for limited radialv movement, means for resiliently pressing said fingers radially outward, and means for positively moving said fingers inwardly to a limiting position in which the inmost faces of said fingers are all at a predetermined distance from the axis of said mandrel.

9. Apparatus for truing a fibertube,which comprises means for rigidly supporting the inner surface of a fiber tube, means for pressing inwardly on short circumferential areas of the outer surface of the tube, said pressing means including a circular series of presser fingers movable radlally lnward to a prede- 1 

